Guilty Innocents
by Harmony Valenka Smith
Summary: Master criminals wanted in nearly 20 countries are committing the greatest crime of the century: embezzling priceless baubles from distinguished persons. Will they get away with it or will something else happen along the way? Rated T for violence, blood, and intense scenes. (This is not a part of the Agents series.)
1. Chapter 1: Silhouetted in the Dark

***Cracks fingers in preparation* Hey, guys! I am Harmony (obviously) and I am here with AJ ThaPlatypus (pen name waffleman1314-AJ ThaPlatypus) because we are writing something together :D It's a Phineas and Ferb story about redemption, crime, and possibly romance. We'll see where this crazy idea takes us. I would like to thank AJ ahead of time for agreeing to do this with me, it means a lot :) Okay, now let's get the most annoying part out of the way: I do not own Phineas and Ferb (nor does AJ). The rights to all products mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. *Sigh* Now, please enjoy our story "Guilty Innocents" and this first chapter written by me :D**

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Chapter 1: Silhouetted in the Dark

Perry

The air was cool and wet as it seeped in through the open window on that foggy night. I could see the fog trying to invade every crevice for quite some distance, though even my sharp eyes couldn't penetrate the fog as it thickened with each breathing minute. I held the pipe in my hand and, with one of my fingers, was tapping on it in impatience. _Where is that man? _I thought. I squinted my eyes, trying vainly to make out more of the neighboring buildings, to defy the fog. The fog beat me. I sighed and swiveled my chair around. I nearly jumped at the sight of a guest in the doorway. "Heinz, you lazy sod, where have you been these past three hours?" I asked with a well-played British accent.

"Just because we're in England doesn't mean you have to act like that. Besides, I had to dodge a few people on the way over here," retorted Heinz. I placed the pipe in my beak and took a few puffs of smoke, making visibility harder than before. "And close the window." He went behind my chair and shut the window quickly and firmly.

"What is it, old man? Afraid a ghost's on your tail?" I smirked.

"You sent me on a mission to get blueprints that were completely illegal," Heinz's voice dripped with acidity, but I didn't so much as blink at the threat.

"And?"

Heinz exhaled loudly and pulled a large rolled-up piece of paper from his pocket. "I got them. Just like you asked." I opened the blueprint and examined it with keen, eager eyes. With the pipe in my mouth, my hands were free to roam across the page before me.

"Excellent."

"I- why do we still do this, Perry? Hm? What for? Just for the rush of doing a job? That fear of getting caught before escaping to 'freedom'?"

I rolled my eyes and sighed. I rubbed the fingers of my right hand over my eyelids as I leaned my other elbow on the desk in front of me. "Heinz, we've been through this before, haven't we?"

"I don't know why you keep insisting we do this. Now, any other crime I might have felt safer with, but this..." Heinz indicated the paper before me and leaned close to me as he finished: "..._is murder._"_  
_

"On whose behalf? Yours? You know just as well as I do that you can leave at any time. You can go find another job anywhere in the world, correct? Or... wait... is it perhaps that you _can't _get another job because any other crime boss wants your head and the law in 20 countries has the permission to shoot you dead."

"I believe you're speaking of _your_ record. I only count 19 on my part."

"Nonetheless, Heinz, you know as well as I do what's at stake for you if you leave." There was a tense pause in the room. I leaned back in my chair, having thought I won my point.

"But stealing from the royal princes?! That's not just illegal, not just 'might get us in trouble,' it's plain evil!"

"Why, certainly it is. It's all the more reason why we should do it. I'm sure the princes wouldn't miss a few baubles from their vast collection of wealth."

"I would sooner denounce my loyalty to the crown than this. The princes, Perry..." he let the words hang in the air. While Heinz had been talking, I drew out a picture from a desk drawer and placed it on the desk. It was a picture of the two princes themselves. I stared at it until Heinz finished speaking.

Then, in a voice of venomous wrath, I spoke, "The princes must pay for _their _disloyalty to their people." I rose from my chair and faced the window. "Tomorrow at noon, a ship leaves for the isles. This ship will carry the princes, leaving us room to invade the royal castle and steal the princes' jewels." I smiled and took a few more puffs of my pipe, but I faltered when I looked out the window in the faint light cast from our room to the street just ahead of me. Was that... a shadow? A spy! I turned to my desk and rustled the paper a bit before taking it into my coat pocket. "Lead them away and don't you dare lose it." I moved my eyes slightly to the window and Heinz understood my meaning.

"Here we go again..." Heinz muttered as he went out the door. Perhaps it was good that I had planned for this. If the spy was indeed working for the princes, then they would take the jewels with them. Good thing we had blue _prints. _I smiled and took another puff of my pipe.

* * *

Penelope

_"Your majesty, I believe there is someone who wishes to perform a terrible act against the crown," I said meekly._

_"Murder?!" the queen gasped._

_"Nay, your grace, but thievery."_

_"You don't mean..."_

_"Aye, my queen."_

_"Can you be certain?"_

_"I have sent my best spy to retrieve the final pieces of the puzzle, then, we shall put our plan into action."_

_"What plan, pray?"_

_"With all due respect, your majesty, that plan is for the ears of three souls alone... including mine. I know it is much to ask to trust someone like me with such delicate affairs-"_

_The queen put up her hand. "You may go about your plan. Just be sure to not let those jewels fall into the wrong hands. My brothers, the princes, can craft things of strange and fantastic wonder that can do both great good and great harm."_

_"Understood, your majesty. I shan't fail you."_

_"And if you should?"_

_"That won't happen... with all due respect, your majesty."_

_"Very well. If there is nothing further, you are dismissed."_

_"Thank you, your majesty." I curtsied as low as I could manage before walking out. This wasn't going to be easy and it certainly wasn't going to be good. No, especially not when my "plan" entailed stealing the jewels myself before the other thief could. For England and for the crown, they say, but how far is the crown willing to save me this time?_

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**That's it for the first chapter. A lot of vague points are being dropped here, but what does it all mean? I suppose we shall find out. Join us next chapter for AJ's chapter. Please keep reading and reviewing, thanks :)**


	2. Chapter 2: Two Thieves Intertwined

**Harmony here to say: Here's AJ's chapter, enjoy :)**

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Chapter 2: Two Thieves Intertwined

Perry

Heinz had returned later with nothing to say for himself. We both understood the implications brought on by the presence of one of the royal spies. I remained where I was throughout the night, absent-mindedly staring at nothing in particular. My mind was on the princes—on justice.

The next day, I ordered Heinz to prepare everything that would be needed for our little rendezvous with the princes: Gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints, lock picks, pocket knives, rope, and hand guns—just in case there were any witnesses.

If everything went according to plan, we would obtain the jewels and disembark the ship before the princes set sail. Heinz wasn't the best of swimmers, and I had no interest in trying to swim both him and the case of jewels back to shore. One would have to be sacrificed in such an escape and I didn't want to have to choose.

When the man entered the room where I was slipping on my black leather gloves, he crossed his arms and watched me without a word. He was passing on an unspoken message just by being there. The horse and buggy were ready for our departure. I turned to him and he straightened somewhat. His slouch suggested a lack of confidence. Ignoring it, I checked myself in a nearby looking glass and hummed, slightly satisfied.

"Perry, we don't have to do this," he said softly.

"Like I stated yesterday, Heinz," I said, giving him a darkened glare, "you can leave at any time. Nothing holds you to this." He didn't offer a response. "Your silence is only somewhat reassuring. Stand up, we talked about the slouching."

Heinz reluctantly stood up to his full height. I had tried breaking this habit before, but it persisted. He followed as I walked out to the buggy. Putting aside Heinz's reluctance to perform this job, I had told myself that today would be a good day. After all, it would be the day that I finally acted on my unspoken promise to the crown. It had been too long.

Stepping up into the buggy, I slipped to the left side. Heinz took the reins on the right. He tapped a small pouch beside me to let me know that my effects were located within. I opened it as he cracked the reins to get the horses going. My fingers wrapped around the holster of the hand gun: an Enfield Mk I. I quickly slipped it into the pocket of space at the small of my back. Inside the pouch were also the lock picks and a Swiss Army Knife.

"I assume you have the rope, then?" I glanced up at Heinz, unamused.

He pulled aside the tail of his coat to reveal a small spool of rope. I hummed and pocketed the remainder of the tools. Folding my gloved hands in my lap, I focused on the road in front of us.

"What do we even need the rope for?" Heinz then asked.

"Just in case," I replied curtly.

"Just in case what?"

"When I don't offer you anything more than that, it's because you do not need more than that," I growled. Heinz looked as if he were tempted to stop the buggy then. He didn't. It was something I had quickly learned to quietly appreciate about the man—he respected me enough to follow my lead. I had proven my value to him and him to me.

The rest of the ride was spent in utter silence. I took the time to ponder on my actions to come. Heinz knew nothing of my past connection to the princes, nor did he know why I so desperately desired to steal the jewels from them. He most likely thought me a madman. Thievery and crime was our occupation, but even Heinz had a limit when it came to the royal court. Unfortunately for him, I did not.

Once he stopped the buggy at the shipyard, he let out a sigh and mumbled beneath it, "This is…suicide…"

I wanted to respond, but I was too focused on the anger boiling in my heart. The sooner we completed this job…the sooner I would feel the peace of justice.

* * *

Penelope

One of the trusted royal spies had told me that the thieves would arrive at the shipyard to perform the deed, but they had not properly identified the scum that would show. That meant our job was going to be slightly more difficult. I turned to my partners in arms and bit the edge of my bill hesitantly.

"Is there a problem?" Baljeet frowned.

"Change of plans, lads," I closed my eyes. "We need to steal the jewels before they do, as we discussed earlier, but I need one of you to help me do a sweep for the criminals that plan to steal them as well."

"I still do not agree with stealing them and not informing our allies," Baljeet said with distress.

"Quit being a baby," Buford prodded him with the butt of his sword. I regretted allowing him to pick any weapon he wanted. A gun would have been a less messy form of self-defense. "This allows me to shine in the ways I know best."

"That does not even make sense!" Baljeet cried.

"Boys! Focus!" I sighed. The two straightened up and saluted me sloppily. They were definitely a work-in-progress. "We need to do this without alerting them because the captains may very well be the thieves. It's a risk we have to take. Can I count on one of you to help me search for the criminals?"

"If there's one thing we Van Stomm's do, it's help search for criminals," Buford spread his arms out wide. "Welllllll…"

"We don't have time for a musical interlude," I snapped, not trying to show any irritation. They tensed up a little. "Sorry, but it is vital that we do this right. Buford and I will try to identify the thieves, Baljeet will procure the jewels before they get to them. Got it?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Baljeet nodded. He still didn't appear to enjoy the thought of employing theft as a means of protecting royal treasure, but he knew better than to refute me. Buford also nodded in agreement.

"Great," I smiled. "Let's get to work, gentlemen."

* * *

Perry

I told Heinz to watch my back while I broke into the vault where the jewels were being kept. We had boarded the ship under the fake guises of ambassadors to the throne. Secretly I had marveled at how easy faking the positions had been, but I reminded myself what side I was on. This wasn't a problem for me.

Waggling the lock pick up and to the left, I heard a click. I then inserted another pick to assist with turning the mechanism. If one of these broke, I would only have ten left. Heinz tended to break more picks than he opened locks. The lock gave another satisfying click and the door fell open.

"Excellent!" I said to myself. "Come, Heinz, I'm going to need your help with this case."

When I heard no response from my human partner, I turned around to tug at his coat only to find a gun pointed in my face.

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Penelope

The ship wasn't the grandest nor the largest ship in the Royal Navy, but it was certainly big enough that it would take a while to scour. Before the princes boarded the ship, I had Baljeet locked in the vault with the jewels to ensure that we had them first. His job was to get off of the ship with the jewels when I signaled him. We weren't going anywhere until I laid eyes on the thieves.

Buford and I split up. He took starboard side; I took port. Naturally, no one questioned my presence, as they knew that I worked very closely with the queen. My sweep of the ship ended rather quickly when I noticed a man slouching. His lack of confidence tipped me off that he was up to something.

I crept over to the man's side, tapped on his leg, and as he turned to see who desired his attention, I had his collar in my fists and was slamming his head against the wall. He fell down into a disappointing heap. Too easy. Now, to find his accomplice. I pulled out my handgun, turned the corner, and held it up at a height equal to my own eyes. This human would most likely get a shot to the knee.

I was thrown off when the barrel connected with a forehead. My eyes jerked down to lock with the cocoa colored irises of the platypus staring back at me dumb-founded. Those were eyes that I had never expected to see again. It had been ages. It couldn't be… but it was.

"P-Perry?" I blinked.

He gave me a seemingly uninterested look. There was no recognition in his eyes. The fact that he didn't remember me felt like a knife to the heart. I shouldn't have felt that way; we had never been close. His presence had just felt right somehow, even from a distance. Now I was holding a gun between his eyes, ready to pull the trigger should he dare to move.

"I'm sorry, have we met?" he frowned. I swallowed. My hand wavered. I couldn't kill him. Treason was treason, but I simply couldn't put a bullet in his pretty face. His face revealed confusion as I lowered the barrel a little. It was a brief moment, though. He removed a gun of his own from the small of his back and shoved it into my sternum. "I'd hate to shoot a lady, but I don't want any witnesses."

I nervously slapped my tail roughly against the deck. It was the signal for Baljeet to come out of the room. Perry wouldn't know that. The door behind him opened quietly, and my partner came into view holding the case of jewels. It was then that Buford rounded the corner.

"I didn't see nobody that was doing nothing suspicious," he announced, catching me off-guard. The shock of his presence startled both myself and Perry. A gunshot rang in my ears a moment. Had I just been shot? My hand went to my chest. Perry's gun was no longer pointed there, but neither was there any wound. I slowly turned my gaze to him. Blood was seeping from a tear in his sleeve.

Another gunshot rang in my ears, only this time, it was more of a warning shot that made contact with the wall behind Perry. My legs were frozen in place. There was no way that Perry could have fired a shot from behind, and his accomplice was currently unconscious. I tried to think of where the gunfire could have come from. Unless…

"ATTENTION! LAY DOWN YOUR WEAPONS! YOU ARE UNDER ARREST FOR THE ATTEMPT AT COMMITTING A CRIME AGAINST THE ROYAL HOUSE OF GREAT BRITAIN!"

Of course. How could I have forgotten? Having not told the queen about my plan, trying to steal the jewels first was still a risky business. Boats surrounded the ship we were on. Perry glared down at me, but slowly put down his weapon. Reasonable, for someone now playing the role of a criminal. I knew enough of his background to understand there was still something that kept him from making it a fight. Sighing, I dropped my gun.

If the thief could surrender with dignity—so could I.

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**I think she did really good ;D Please keep reading and reviewing. Next chapter's mine, so stay tuned for then!**


	3. Chapter 3: Trial

Chapter 3: Trial

Penelope

I had expected to be in a lot of places throughout the course of my life: Paris, America, and maybe another vacation in Sussex. I enjoyed the last one. What I had never expected was the dock in Scotland Yard. My plan had seemed so flawless, at the time. I would be in and out without another word and the jewels would have been safe back in the kingdom's vault.

A guard came up to me and said, "You have a visitor. Come with me, please, ma'am." I followed him.

When we got inside, I was only a little surprised to find the queen, but my true surprise was at seeing the princes. "Your majesties," I said with a low curtsy.

"What did you think you were doing?! We trusted you!" Queen Candace cried out in outrage.

"Your majesty, you know I only seek to help the crown. If I hadn't stolen them, the true thieves would have. I was going to put the jewels in the royal vault, far from their reach," I said.

"You think that would have stopped him?! You underestimate the true deviousness at work here!" said Prince Phineas.

The gears in my head began turning and, as the plan formed, a smile came to my face. "Deviousness, you say?" I asked.

"You have a plan, then?" asked Prince Ferb.

"Suppose I get close to Perry and become his friend. Perhaps then I can sway him back toward the crown," I proposed.

"Perry and his accomplice are being sent to prison for their crimes. Since you say you and your accomplices were doing this for the crown, you have full rights to be pardoned. Why would you wish to be doomed with them?" asked Prince Phineas.

"What would it take to make this more believable?" I asked.

"You really think you can change him?" asked Prince Phineas.

"Does a platypus lay eggs?" I returned with a smile. "I have full confidence that I shall be able to turn him back to us."

"Very well, but should you fail, you shall be tried for treason and _hanged,_" said Prince Phineas.

"Understood, your majesty," I replied.

"Good, now get out of our sight. The trial shall begin forthwith," said Queen Candace, waving her hand. I was escorted out. A quick carriage ride later, I was being led into court. Men and women in powdered wigs would stand before us and determine our fate, be it guilty or not guilty. I had a feeling I knew what to expect though.

I was sat down in the row of the accused. Baljeet was on my right and Buford was on my left. I leaned over and noticed Perry and Doofenshmirtz (respectively) were on Buford's left. Perry was looking defiantly ahead, looking steamed to be there. Doofenshmirtz was keeping his tongue, but the look on his face portrayed a thousand words he wished to say. We weren't sat down for more than a minute before we were asked to rise.

"All rise for their majesties: Prince Phineas, Prince Ferb, and her imperial majesty, Queen Candace," said an announcer. The royals came in from the same double doors in the back that we had all entered in. They wore their finest robes. They went to the high thrones at the front of the court room and sat down. Queen Candace sat at the highest throne in the middle with Prince Ferb on her left and Prince Phineas on her right.

"You may be seated," said Queen Candace.

As we all sat, we said, "God bless the Queen and future Kings." I heard a small scoff come from Perry, but I looked away before he knew I had noticed.

"In the year of our Lord 1899 in the month of May, we see the case of the accused: Heinz Doofenshmirtz, Perry Bartholomew King, Buford Van Stomm, Penelope Rose Australis, and Baljeet Tjinder. They are accused of an attempt to steal the jewels of the princes, the highest crime in the kingdom," proclaimed Queen Candace. I knew why only Perry and I had our middle names proclaimed: it was to make us more human and help everyone forget the fact we were animals. The court was to look on us as criminals, just like everyone else. I looked at Perry and his face carried that same cocky smile he assumed whenever someone said his last name. I rolled my eyes. "Who wishes to speak on their defense?"

Everyone in the court avoided eye contact and no one was standing as volunteer. It made sense. Anyone defending a case like this was defending a hopeless cause. There were witnesses who could agree to the guilt of all of us. I sighed. "I'll speak on our defense, your majesty," I replied. There was a pause. "If it pleases the court, that is."

"Very well. You shall be defending yourselves against Major Monogram of the British Spy Union," said Queen Candace. She quirked an eyebrow as if to say "Defend yourself against _him _and win." What she actually said next was: "Defense shall go first, as per tradition." She waved an arm and I walked to the center of the court. The eyes of the guards were watching me to make sure I didn't try to escape as much as they were watching the others in my place.

"Thank you, your majesty," I said with a low curtsy. "Honorable court, what we have here is a misunderstanding. We were not all in this together, rather, we were on two separate teams with quite the same goal." The court gasped at this. "We both wanted to steal the jewels. One wanted vengeance and I... well, I just wanted to see if I could. We would have escaped flawlessly, had it not been for the incapable duo over there."

"How _dare _you! I've stolen the jewels off of a woman's person without her noticing!" protested Perry.

"Was she also farsighted?" Perry lunged for me, but was stopped by Buford. Perry was hanging by his coat in Buford's fist until he calmed down enough. I continued, "I do not deny what we did and I know the evidence stacked against me. Therefore, if it please the court, I would like to plead guilty for attempting to steal the Princes' jewels." There was a lot of clamoring in the court until Queen Candace banged the gavel down.

"Order! Order!" cried Queen Candace. "Thank you, Penelope. Is that all?"

"Aye, your majesty," I replied.

"All right. Prosecution, say what you will," said Queen Candace.

"Well... yes, of course. Thank you, your majesty," said Major Monogram. He came to the center of the court. "I hadn't really expected the defense to plead guilty. This makes things a little easier since we all agree."

"No! No, we do not agree!" said Perry. I snapped my fingers and Buford held Perry's beak closed. I waved a hand for the Major to continue.

"Well, the evidence is as follows: crew members report seeing Miss Australis, Mr. Van Stomm, and Mr. Tjinder on the ship. The guard who caught them supports seeing Baljeet holding the jewel case and exiting the room where the jewels were being kept," said the Major.

"Objection, your honor, there is no way Mr. Tjinder could have gotten in there. The jewel room is always kept locked and barricaded in case of intruders," I said.

"That's true. So, how did you get in there?" asked Prince Phineas.

"I went in through the window, where else would I have gone?" asked Baljeet with a mild huff.

"The window is plausible. So, you removed the barricade so that you could get out easier?" I asked.

"Of course, that box is far too heavy to carry out of a window," replied Baljeet.

"Prosecution may continue," I said.

"Yes... well... upon Mr. King's person was found burglar's tools: a few picks, a Swiss army knife, and a gun, the Enfield Mk I. It was he who picked the lock on the door that let out Mr. Tjinder," said the Major.

"What of the other three?" asked Queen Candace.

"Mr. Doofenshmirtz is known for being Mr. King's ally in his crimes. It only makes sense he be at the crime scene, wearing gloves from the same manufacturer and possessing rope in case things went awry. Then, you have Mr. Van Stomm here. He's been known as Miss Australis's muscle for the things she cannot do. He was there as a bodyguard, a bully," said the Major.

"Hey, I resemble that remark," said Buford. I rolled my eyes.

"As for Miss Australis, well, the proof is in her very character. She moved quickly through the ranks of the palace. She made friends with the royals... got too friendly if you ask me. When their guard was down and she was sure she had their full trust, she underwent the execution of this crime. She was armed with only her mediocre fighting skills and her favorite gun, the Webley Bull Dog revolver," said the Major.

"I would say my skills exceed mediocre and the Bull Dog is my favorite for its small size and ability to get the job done," I said.

"So, you admit to attempted murder, then?" asked the Major.

"What?!" I asked.

"The guard saw you aiming a gun at Mr. King's head. You wanted the jewels for yourself and didn't want another criminal to take them, so you had to get him out of the way."

"Your honor, the prosecution is antagonizing the defense!"

"Major! If there is nothing further you have to say, I suggest you take a few steps back," said Queen Candace.

The Major stepped back, but he wasn't finished speaking. "They were all there at the crime scene and they connect to each other like a web. If the jury finds them innocent, they'll be let back onto the streets and they'll just try again. One way or another, they'd find a way to steal the jewels, but I think this should be done differently! This is the most terrible crime against the crown. Therefore, I say they should be found guilty!" he shouted.

"Yeah!" shouted a good amount of the court.

"And thrown into Newgate prison!" the Major went on.

"Yeah!" the crowd seemed to enjoy the energy.

"Order!" cried the Queen. "Well, does the defense have anything further to say?"

I felt like a dog that had just been caught after doing a bad thing, which, I was, in a way. "Nothing further, your honor," I said.

"All right, the jury will leave and discuss the fate of the defendants. The defendants are to be put into another room until their fate is decided. The court is dismissed," said Queen Candace. With one final bang of a gavel, the gears of fate began winding. I intended to go to prison with the real criminals to help them see the light. I just didn't expect Newgate... or for it to go that quickly and surely.

When we were in the room alone together, Perry went off. "Oh, that is just bloody brilliant, Princess," he jeered at me.

"I know what I'm doing," I said.

"I hope you have a plan, because if they send us to Newgate, we are doomed!" cried Baljeet in a panic.

"Eh, I hear it's not so bad. A cousin of mine was in there once for muggin' a guy," said Buford.

"Is he still alive?" asked Baljeet.

"No, he's dead," replied Buford. Baljeet then began freaking out and running about the room, arms flailing. I rubbed my fingers on my beak, exasperated. "Oh, would you stop?!" When Baljeet didn't, Buford sighed and said, "All right, I guess it's underwear time."

"Underwear time? What's- AH!" Doofenshmirtz had to ask. Buford caught the two of them and pulled at the back of their underwear in an upward motion, causing an uncomfortable effect. Baljeet was hanging in the air from Buford's left hand and Doofenshmirtz was slipping toward the floor, his underwear still in Buford's right hand.

"Let them go, Buford," I said with a sigh.

"Aw..." Buford regretfully let them fall to the ground. The two tried to compose themselves as Buford came and sat in the chair on my right.

"What was that? That actually looked rather effective," said Perry.

"Yes, he's a pioneer at underwear grabbing. It's disgusting and wrong if you ask me," I said.

"Well, I did not ask you. So, it is all the better," said Perry.

"Do you really think they will find us guilty?" asked Baljeet.

The door opened and we all gasped. "A decision has been made," said the guard. We were escorted out of there. The court was slow in assembling, almost as if the clock's gears had slowed. Big Ben chimed in the distance. The hours vaguely tolled by as the Queen sat down and the Grand Jury began to declare its verdict.

"Has the jury reached a decision?" asked Queen Candace.

"We have, your honor. We find the defendants: Mr. Doofenshmirtz, Mr. Van Stomm, Mr. Tjinder, Miss Australis, and Mr. King guilty of attempting to steal the Princes' jewels," said a juryman. As we were carried out, the hour finished striking. It was three o'clock... our trial was complete. Now, we were about to head into a world of horrors the likes of which I had only heard about and seen in my nightmares. Now, I would see it with my own eyes.

We were brought back to our temporary cells. I and my companions were in one that was right next to the one occupying Doofenshmirtz and Perry. The only thing that separated our two cells was a row of bars. I listened only enough to the guard to hear that we would be brought to Newgate prison at dawn. We were to rot there for the rest of our lives, unless something could be done about it. I curled up at the end of a bench and closed my eyes. Perhaps my dreams would give me solace from the nightmare I was now soon to live. I could only imagine what type of dreams the real criminal would be dreaming tonight.

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**That's it for this chapter. (I want to clear up two details real quick: wedgies were not invented yet, but it made so much sense for Buford to be doing them that I put it in anyway. Secondly, Penelope is not a princess, it's just a jabbing nickname.) I pass the quill on to my co-author, AJ. Please keep reading and reviewing, thanks :)**


	4. Chapter 4: In a Mine

Chapter 4: In a Mine

Perry

The earthy smell was a welcome scent to most miners, but I wasn't exactly a miner. Heinz and I had become decent partners by now, and we were here to steal revenue from these pompous gentry. After all, everyone knew that dukes and duchesses had more than enough jewels to keep themselves sitting pretty for several generations. They shouldn't miss a sack full of diamonds.

No one had noticed that Heinz and I were out of place. They assumed that we were simply other miners that had been called in to this dig. Many of Great Britain's finest miners had been called here to the Russian tundra to pluck riches for various lords and ladies. The pay was supposedly well—though it was hardly close to what the diamonds were worth.

I raised my pickaxe and thrust it into the walls of the mine. The rock sparked a little from the friction. Some dirt fell away. Turning to look at Heinz's progress, I saw that he had rolled up his sleeves and was sweating something fierce. Who could have imagined this heat in the winter of Russia? Again, I gave a mighty swing at the rock wall before me. Mining was difficult; it made my entire body ache and scream for mercy.

Wiping my brow, I took a deep breath and regretted it instantly. Dust stuck in my throat and sent me into a fit of coughing. A rumble echoed through the cave. Heinz's eyes met mine. I turned to look deeper into the cave and heard shouts coming from within.

"Bloody humans, what's their problem?" I muttered, still coughing a bit. Heinz shrugged and went back to his work. I picked up my sack and went further into the cave. "Perhaps they have found a rather large supply of diamonds."

"I wouldn't bet my life on it," Heinz said flatly. "That rumbling doesn't sound too promising to me at all."

"That's what the belly of the earth does, Heinz," I said, ignoring his concern. Waving a hand dismissively, I walked deeper into the cave. A man ran past me, crying something in French with his hands wrapped tightly around a rosary. "The French are here, too? Clearly without an ounce of courage."

I continued deeper into the cave, but was met by another man fleeing. He stopped and knelt down to grasp my elbow. The man looked as if he'd seen a ghost or monster. I pulled away to indicate that I didn't have time for him, but his grip tightened.

"We must leave, now!" he exclaimed. I frowned and yanked my arm away from him. Another Frenchman. "Sir, the caves are collapsing, we must leave! There is no time! You must escape now!"

"You French cannot deter us with your pathetic lies," I growled. He didn't waste his breath on me. Instead, he turned and fled once more. I rolled my eyes, but the rumbling came again, this time louder. It did not stop. A flood of people dashed past me, ignoring that I was there. In the end, I lay on the floor, trampled, and saw that the cave was indeed collapsing around me. A large chunk of granite was holding my tail down. There was no escape.

That was it, then. I was doomed to die in the veins of the earth. Another rock fell against my side. The men running past me cared only for their own petty lives. My eyes darted up to the dark earth above me and my heart stopped as a large boulder tumbled down and fell onto my body. The air was being forced out of my lungs. I flailed my arms around, only to find that the flailing was in my head. Pain throbbed in my breathless lungs. Everything was dark, and if I could have taken a gulp of air, it would have no doubt smelled of freshly moved dirt.

Yet there was no scent, and the pain and darkness persisted. No one would stop to save me. I closed my eyes and accepted my fate. My heart was heavy; I had never been able to exact my revenge on the crown. This was the end. My purpose was over.

Then I felt a touch to my cheek. It was brief. Opening my eyes, I saw no one. There were only rocks and rubble surrounding me. Looking behind myself, I saw something that solidified a trust in me that I had never felt before. There was Heinz, risking his own life to save mine. He eventually freed me from the rocks that were holding me down and scooped me up into his arms. To this day, I can still remember him running like the wind to escape the closing earth. He called it repaying his debt; I called it a debt that I now owed him…

I woke with a start, gasping and panting. For a moment, I flailed around, assuming I was still caught in the mine. Fearless was a term I enjoyed to pretend applied to me, but I knew that my true Achilles heel was tight spaces. Despite having been saved by my partner, I had never placed myself in a claustrophobic position ever again. Heinz grasped my shoulder and we locked eyes.

"What's wrong?" he whispered.

"I just…" I cleared my throat and faked regaining my composure. "A dream about the time in the mines. Nothing more."

"I wouldn't call it nothing," Heinz raised his brow. "Just like saving me in Turkey wasn't nothing."

"That is true," I nodded. We fell silent for a beat. I then spoke again. "Turkey was when I concocted this plan, you know. I took pity on you. It was the first time that I saw someone being so wrongly treated by the princes that I realized what was happening. Peace-making mission, indeed. The Turks wanted you dead."

"And because of you, the Turks now want the princes dead," Heinz laughed quietly. "Whatever possessed you to free me from that prison before my execution, I will never know. The crime syndicate was ready for my head, especially after we stole so much from them."

"On a silver platter," I chuckled. He lightly punched me in the shoulder. "Hey, they have their own sense of style. What can they say?"

"Don't forget that we showed them who was boss, though!" Heinz smiled.

"Still don't know what hit them," I sighed. That had been a fun little excursion. "That crime syndicate had no choice but to beg their sultan for money after we got through with them. And now look at us. Wanted in twenty different countries."

"You always forget it's only nineteen for me," Heinz crossed his arms. I stiffened. "You've got that extra wanted poster. You never have told me why, though."

"That's not a story that I'm prepared to share," I told him, waving my hand dismissively.

"We need our rest," I said. I lay back down and turned away from him. Just because I trusted the man with my life didn't mean he had to know everything. When I was ready to tell him about America, I would... but not yet.

* * *

**Harmony here! This was AJ's chapter, so I hope you enjoyed it. Next chapter will be mine and we'll be getting further down the rabbit hole ;) Please keep reading and reviewing, thanks :) **


	5. Chapter 5: Day the First in Hell

Chapter 5: Day the First in Hell

Penelope

Though the carriage jostled about and the city outside of the carriage was still alive, those inside the carriage were silent. Buford, Baljeet, Doofenshmirtz, Mr. King, and I were on our way to Newgate prison. There had been many stories about the people who had gone there and never returned, as well as stories of those who had been in there… and the things they had seen. Stories like these did not instill a sense of comfort to me, but a sense of fear.

We arrived at the prison and were escorted into its halls by a few guards. One by one, we had our pictures taken, our effects taken from us, and we were put in the files. We were given new clothes to wear: plain, poor, scratchy counterparts of our former clothes. I had been dressed to the nines in red before, but now, I was dressed in a brown dress and white apron. The boys were given dark-colored shoes, shirts, and pants. I was given a white bonnet and the boys were given brown caps.

After that, we were taken to our cells. I was separated from the boys. I knew not how far away they would be, but I was now in a cell, alone.

Sometime later, a guard came in and gave me my lunch on a tray. It was rather disgusting, especially the smell of it. I was soon to find worse things than the food though.

A few hours after lunch, a guard came in and escorted me out. It was exercise time. They separated some people from others, for the sake of safety, but that didn't mean there weren't still problems. Prisoners were at the edge of their cells, lunging their hands toward me and the guard. I was frightened. I began noticing the smell, the revolting smell of human waste, and tears came to my eyes, out of disgust and pity.

Exercise time included the prisoners walking in a circle in the yard. The gallows were not far from where we were. I looked at them often and was reminded of my mission and what it would mean if I failed.

The way back to my cell was no better than the way outside. On the contrary, it was worse. Let's just say I needed to shower twice after what happened. At least the only thing that had been harmed thus far was my pride.

_Merciful God, please see it in your heart to spare us. Please see it in your heart to deliver us from this hell. Please._ I daren't speak these words while around others, but in my cell, alone, I would pray. There was no other recourse. I had been taught by the royals to pray to God. If I was good enough, perhaps he would answer.

* * *

Perry

It was almost a pity that I did not share a cell with Heinz. He was my partner, undoubtedly, but I felt as if he might slow me down. I needed to escape. This place was completely intolerable and I was not about to prolong my stay any longer than I needed to.

It was later in the day when the guards decided to move us. The prison was suffering budget-wise and we were moved into cells with other prisoners. We were also brought into the yard for supper. I was able to find Heinz and converse with him, but our conversation was soon spoiled by the appearance of Penelope and her two goons.

"What is it that you risk your bones to be in my presence?" I asked Penelope.

"Look, _Perry,_" she said with slight disdain. "You can't escape without our help."

"Why do you think that?" I asked, amused.

"I _know _this, just as well as the first country you got in trouble with wasn't England, but America."

I stood up and looked down at her (as well as I could for only being an inch taller than her). "You tread dangerous waters, miss."

"I'm used to far worse storms."

I stared at her a moment before sitting back down. "All right, amuse me."

"The royals won't let me stay here long, of that I am certain. I am too important for them to let rot in prison. Therefore, I may be able to negotiate your passage out as well as Doofenshmirtz's."

"I want nothing to do with the royals. I don't need their help."

"Well, then, perhaps we can implement my second plan. I have been studying the workings of the prison. I believe a viable escape plan may be able to be made within the week. Thus far, I have noticed the lack of attention from the guards when we are in our cells as well as out here. I, therefore, propose a distraction scenario."

"And just what would this 'distraction scenario' include?"

"Well, one of us has to create a riot. Meanwhile, the others can run away and come back for the other later."

"If you think I am going to be the bait in your plan, you are mistaken."

"I'm afraid you won't have much of a choice."

"What are you talking about?"

"Do you see that man over there?" She pointed to a rather large man who was probably over 200 pounds and over six feet. No fat, only muscle.

"Who could miss him?"

"He said he could crush you under his shoe as easily as he could a spider."

My fingers curled into a fist. "He said that about me?"

"As sure as I stand here."

"Excuse me."

* * *

Penelope

Well, there is something to be said about a man's ego: as big and annoying as it is, it can be a lifesaver, when needed. Perry went up to the man and it wasn't long before the two were in a fierce fight. This gave Buford, Baljeet, and I room to escape. Buford and I knocked out some guards while Baljeet went to get some things from our personal effects.

When he returned to us, we ran back outside. One of the materials was a rope. I made a lasso and quickly threw it toward the wall. It caught onto one of the spires. Unfortunately, the rope was cut short by an archer from a high tower. There was no retrieving it.

As punishment for our escape attempt and the fight, Perry, Buford, Baljeet, and I were sent to do laundry for the prison. It was well into the night before we were even close to being done. I was steamed that it had failed, but not as steamed, perhaps, as Perry.

"I'll think of another plan," I said.

"How did you know?" asked Perry.

"I'm sorry?" I asked, confused. He looked at me a moment before going back to his work.

Soon after, Doofenshmirtz came in. "Hey, I got in trouble too. I needed to see you all and tell you the plan I came up with."

"Heinz has a plan? Do tell," said Perry, his voice carrying a master's tone.

Later that night, the five of us were thrown into a cell with five other prisoners. "Great work, now we are even _further _from escape," said Baljeet.

"We'll keep trying," I said.

"What's the point? We're still criminals," said Buford.

"Hey, the only criminals here are Doofenshmirtz and Mr. King," I said.

"May I speak with you in private, princess?" asked Perry, his tone dangerous.

"It's fine," I told Buford and Baljeet. Perry led me aside and I looked at him, waiting for what he wanted to say.

"How did you know about America, how do you know who I am?" he asked.

"To answer the latter question first, everyone knows who you are, Perry, you're the only wanted platypus in all of England. As for the former, I know about America because I was there," I replied.

* * *

**It has been a long time since the last update, and I apologize for that. The reason for that is this: AJ is leaving FanFiction. She has practiced her writing on here and hopes to write something more original. If you'd like to learn more about that, check out her profile page.**

**Now, I will be writing the rest of the story. I hope nothing will be lost from the story, especially since it was originally my idea and I just wanted someone else's point of view to make it more interesting. I hope you will all keep reading and reviewing, thanks :)**

**Minor side note: If you have some time, please check out the poll on my profile page. I will be determining what story I work on next through your votes, so please give me your input. Thanks!**


	6. Chapter 6: Opaque or Transparent?

Chapter 6: Opaque or Transparent?

Perry

For the next few days, I watched the mysterious Miss Australis closely. She said she was there in America, but how could she possibly have been there? Would I not have seen her, remembered her? None of the royal court, not even she lent herself much to concealment. It was the first time in a long time where I was questioning something this seriously.

Finally, I got tired of the mind games and pulled her aside to ask her. "Look, princess, I am not about to stand by while you make a mockery of my past. Tell me how you knew me from America," I demanded.

"Very well, Perry, I shall tell you," she said. "It all began some time ago when you were still working as a noble in the royals' court. I had been hired by the queen in secret. I have some skills that… well, they're inconsequential at the moment. Let us just remain upon the fact that these skills were wanted by the queen."

"Go on."

"Well, I often worked as a maid. During this time, I came to notice you. I noticed how you behaved in front of the royals, how you treated those under you, and I saw a very vain man."

I stood up taller. "I was a vain man. I was blinded by wealth and did not truly see the suffering of man until that mission in Turkey."

"After that mission, you became friends with Doofenshmirtz, but not before you went away. You decided within yourself that you needed a plan. You needed to know which course to take, something that could not be decided amongst people you knew."

"Yes."

"Well, I followed you. I followed you because it was my mission to seek out any persons who would want to betray the crown and deal with them. When I saw you in America… what I saw you doing…" She leaned against the wall and looked pale. I was feeling almost sympathetic for her.

"I became a thief." I voiced that which she could not say.

"It is not just that you became a thief…" she paused. "At first, I didn't see your motives. I didn't understand you, I thought you were arrogantly and deliberately going against the crown."

"I was."

"But beneath all of this, you are doing this for vengeance."

"And… is this a good thing, in your eyes?" I couldn't have cared less what her answer would be… little did I expect just how she would answer.

"I too have seen the crown become corrupt. They maltreat their people and others. They're bullies in their own right… and I think it's about time that someone pushes back."

"Are you proposing a partnership… or are you suggesting you wish to go at this alone?"

"What matters it to you what I do?"

"I… I wasn't lying before when I said I wouldn't harm a lady. I also wouldn't let a lady walk into harm's way. It would be murder in the worst form."

"And you would know."

"Listen to me, Penelope…" I saw her eyes show something different in them at my mentioning her name. "You're doing this with me or you're not doing this at all."

She smiled. "We still need to escape, you know."

"Don't worry, I have a plan that will get us out of here, but it will take some time."

"Will it work?"

"I have confidence, my lady. After all, I have planned for scenarios thinner than this before. There should not be a problem."

"Of course." She gave a curtsey. "Good day, Perry."

I bowed and said, "My lady."

So it was that Heinz, Penelope, Buford, Baljeet, and I met to talk over what the escape plan was. "All right, first stage: I have gained much experience over the years of quickly making friends. We can use this to our advantage. I shall befriend the guards and the warden. When we get friendly enough, we shall have a card game.

"That's where you come in, Penelope. Using your uncanny ability to be invisible, you shall drug the men's drinks, we pick up the keys, and we walk out the front door."

"Great plan, but who's to say that no one else will try to escape with us?" asked Penelope.

"True, but I have planned for that as well. The rest of you shall concoct a chemical formula so powerful that it will stop the prisoners in their tracks. Wouldn't want the _actual _criminals escaping, now would we?" I asked with a wink toward Penelope.

She blinked in response. "Your plan will fail."

Heinz gasped and I started. "Excuse me?" I asked.

"I said, your plan will fail. What is not clear?"

"Perhaps the failure part being associated with me. I do not lose, princess."

"Oh, and here we are, back to that again."

"I apologize for arguing with a woman, but your first plan failed."

"The key phrase in that sentence was 'first plan.' I assure you, my second plan shall be much better, especially since I have that 'uncanny ability to be invisible.'" This last part she added with a bit of scorn in her voice. I shifted only slightly in my seat.

"Well, pray tell, what is _your _plan so that I may begin implementing _my_ plan to follow your inevitable failure?" I raised my eyebrows, daring her to speak.

I was unaware just how stubborn she could be. "I have watched the comings and goings of carriages into and out of this prison. Not all of the guards live here, you know. Some of them go home every night," she said.

"Every night?" I asked.

"Every night," she affirmed.

"Well then, I suppose your plan is that we hop aboard a carriage and ride fast into the night?"

"Yes. We shall ride to the palace where you may show the royals just how poor their judgement really is."

"No, no good."

"Why not?"

"For the simple reason that I do not wish to kill them. I merely wish for them to suffer, as I have seen others suffer."

"Here's what I don't understand: everything else you've stolen, you've given to somebody in need or used it to your needs, but what could you possibly want with the prince's jewels?"

"What difference have they from any other jewel except the princes are more protective of them?" I asked nonchalantly. Actually, I knew, at least to a small degree, of the jewels' power. I merely wished to hear it from someone else's lips.

"They have a power unlike anything we can possibly understand or attain through other means. Beyond that, I shall say nothing. We shall embark upon our escape in three nights. The warden shall be gone on a short holiday, leaving only the guards. I learned this also through my invisibility." It amazed me how bold this woman was. "Now, gentlemen, I bid you good night."

As she left, I said, "Fine! Just be prepared for failure."

"I think, Perry, that when this is over, you shall be thanking me for my success," she said before continuing on her way.

* * *

**That's all for now. Please keep reading and reviewing, thanks :)**


	7. Chapter 7: Midnight Ride

Chapter 7: Midnight Ride

Penelope

The night was darkness, the air was cold, and I felt shivers riding up and down my spine. Buford, Baljeet, Doofenshmirtz, Perry, and I had the plan in mind. Now, it just needed to be set in motion. The plan required quickness of hands, cleverness of mind, and swiftness of feet. If we faltered, well, I needn't say what would happen then.

"Excuse me, may I have a word with you?" asked Perry of the guard. When the guard came close, Perry grabbed his leg and pulled hard to knock him over. The guard fell and Buford delivered a blow to the guard's head. Doofenshmirtz's quick fingers went for the guard's keys. We were soon out of the cell, but far from freedom.

Other guards in the hall had been alerted to the situation from the noise. They were on us in a moment. Buford went through them like a battering ram and Perry and I used fighting that had more finesse to escape their clutches. We ran through the halls until we reached a balcony overlooking the court yard. Carriages were riding away and the jump down was not a small one. We quickly made a chain: Doofenshmirtz held onto Buford who held onto Baljeet who held onto Perry who held onto me. I grabbed the railing on the top of one of the carriages more toward the front. As the horses moved the carriage farther, we each made our way onto the carriage by simply letting it pull us down.

I quirked an eyebrow at Perry, but he merely scowled. He took out the driver and took his place. Buford chucked Baljeet into one of the side windows of the carriage before coming in through the other door. He took out its occupants and tossed them out. Doofenshmirtz took a spot next to Perry and, fearing I might fall off, I went inside the carriage.

As soon as we cleared the gates, the carriage was quick in speeding up. Other carriage drivers had noticed what had happened and were quickly in pursuit. The ride jostled us around as the roads grew rougher and the ride ever faster.

I looked out the window and saw the carriages in the distance pursuing us. There were probably three of them. It had turned from an escape plan for future's betterment to a run by wanted fugitives. _Fugitives… yes, that's what we are now. _I pulled back into the carriage, letting the revelation hit me.

I don't know how or when, but the pursuit had ended and the carriages no longer followed us. I didn't doubt, however, that we would soon be on the run again. Perry pulled the carriage to a stop inside of a large building in the country, possibly a barn. I heard many sounds of fellow animals and realized it to be a stable.

The door to the carriage opened and Perry stood there with a fiercer scowl than before. He directed this glare in my direction and I immediately felt every good feeling from the escape drain from me. It wasn't until Doofenshmirtz interrupted this that the situation cooled down.

"Well, now what?" he asked.

"Well, even though the plan of escape was planned well enough, we are going to have to do a good amount of trekking on foot. We may have to walk for many miles before they lose our trail," said Perry. "You, unlike I, didn't consider the aftermath." He directed this to me rather pointedly and I felt, in that moment, that I'd rather be a turtle so that I could withdraw into a shell and hide my shame.

It was then that we went on the run. For most of the night, we went across the countryside, through many rivers, and finally, wound up back in London. We looked no better than any other beggars or street urchins to be found in the highways and by-ways. It was dawn by the time we reached a small flat. Perry reached underneath a barrel, retrieved a key, and used it on a lock leading to a pantry in the flat. He opened the door and we all went inside. Doofenshmirtz struck a match and lit a candle.

When the light crossed the walls, we found ourselves surrounded by many pictures and news clippings on the walls and hanging from the ceiling. Red string attached itself at multiple points to various pictures and articles. On the web's edge were many boxes filled with food and there were a few barrels of wine.

"No time to be picky," said Perry as he popped open a jar of preserved vegetables. He opened more jars and handed them to the humans in our group. He opened another jar, this one had holes in its top, and it was revealed to be grubs. Despite the knowledge of a platypus's natural diet, I still shivered at the idea of eating grubs.

Perry handed me the open jar of grubs and said, "Here."

"Why?" I asked.

"I will need you alive. My future plans would become strained at your passing," he replied.

"How comforting." I snatched the jar away from him as he opened one for himself. "So, who is the confederate that lives in this household?"

"My governess and her family."

"And… they would be?"

"They call themselves the Hearthside Girls." There was suddenly a sound of many young feet coming down the stairs and a bunch of young girls tackled Perry in hugs.

"Perry! Mr. King! You're back!" they all cried for joy.

"Yes, I have returned," he replied. More footsteps were heard coming down and we were greeted by an older woman who walked with a crutch.

"Well, well, well, Mr. King. It has been a while since you have crossed our door," she said.

"My absence could not be helped," said Perry.

"Give whatever excuse you like. What matters now is that you have returned and that you may stay under our roof as long as you like," said the old woman.

"I thank you, dear ladies, for your kindness," said Perry. The young girls giggled and went up the stairs before the old woman nodded to us to follow her upstairs.

"That would explain the ready supply of food," I said.

Perry gave me a heated glance and said, "If you even think of betraying these kind souls, it _shall _mean the noose for them. They may sometimes keep criminals like Heinz and me, but they also care for the poor and less fortunate… which is what the crown will say they are doing, but in fact are not."

"That would depend greatly upon how you think they are helping or hindering the poor," I said.

"What of the workhouses? What of the prisons? What of the sickness, squalor, and despair that everyday crowds the London streets? When the fog is not upon the city, I smell naught but the smell of those dying and decaying under maltreatment. Here, in this house, the women care for the sick, feed the hungry, and house those who would otherwise be on the street. It is no crime to help those who will not be helped otherwise," said Perry.

"Do you dislike me, Mr. King?" I asked.

"I dislike any who stand for what the crown stands for."

"Whatever happened to your patriotism to your country?"

"I love England. I love this kingdom. I think the people here are a good folk, but I cannot stand the people who rule over them. It is the crown, that crown that has become sullied with the blood of its people and others that I dislike. You just so happen to stand with them… so, perhaps I _do _dislike you."

I felt my anger heat up then and before I could stop myself, I said, "Well, perhaps I was wrong about you, Perry, for who could ever like a poor, thieving wretch such as yourself?"

"I believe, Miss Australis, that your answer to your own question would be answered here." He tossed me a book. I opened it to discover it was a Bible and tears ran down my face in shame.

I forced the book into his hands and said, "Do not speak to me ever again. If you even _look _my way, I will cut your eyes out. I care for you as any good woman should for a man in your status, but I do not like you…" Under my breath, I added, "_Not anymore._" I went upstairs and left Perry alone with his partner.

* * *

**That's it for now. I think we're a little ways off from them liking each other. Let's see what happens as the story goes on. Oh, there's a poll on my profile and I would appreciate it if a few of you would make between one and three choices for what idea you want me to work on next. Please keep reading and reviewing, because I think we have a while to go. Thanks! :) **


	8. Chapter 8: Some Truth

Chapter 8: Some Truth

Perry

I scoffed. "I do not know why she reacted so," I said.

"Was she in the court when you were?" asked Heinz.

I thought a moment. "She said she worked as a maid… was I truly so blind as not to see her?" Then there was her claim that she had seen me in America. "Wait a moment…" I thought it through and, yes, I did remember her.

"Well, it shouldn't matter now."

"Oh, it does, Heinz, I assure you."

"What is your plan?"

"Simple: I am going to play right into her plan. I shall pull out before any damage can be done and we can escape her and her compatriots and I shall finally have my revenge."

"And… what is her plan?"

"I highly suspect it has something to do with getting me onto her side. She shall certainly be in for a surprise when she sees how unyielding _my _will can be."

"Couldn't you just show her what you see?"

"I doubt she could ever see the princes the way I do."

"Maybe… or maybe you should have more faith in the humanity of others." Heinz walked into another room, a room I remember led to a sitting room. My former governess and her girls could be heard singing while the kind woman played the piano. It was home again. I ventured into the room and saw Penelope sitting in a chair in the corner with Baljeet and Buford on either side of her. She looked at the girls with sad, distant eyes, as if thinking of something else.

I walked up to her and, seeing how she didn't notice my approach, I briefly grasped her hand. She jumped a little at the contact and looked at me. There was distrust in her eyes and something was broken within.

"I may not be a complete gentlemen, but I am not entirely uncivilized. Would you care for a dance?" I asked, offering my hand.

She looked at my hand in distaste. "I don't know what I have done to encourage such a favor from you, but I must decline," she said.

"Now who hates whom?" I retracted my hand and awaited her answer.

"Just what did the princes do that was so terrible for you to betray your own country, your own people?" Her question was harsh and cold. Her eyes changed to a violet tint and I looked at her, amazed.

"Forgive my boldness, Princess, but your eyes have changed their color."

"What color are they?" She was wary, as if afraid of the answer.

"They are the color of violets." She breathed out a sigh that sounded like relief. "This… happens often, then?"

"Only when I get especially emotional about something do they change."

"Are there other colors I should be aware of?"

"I do not think we shall ever become acquainted enough for that to become a problem for you to conquer." She looked over to the piano and the women again. I saw Heinz leaning against the wall near them, listening. For a moment, I forgot the situation we were in. Then, Penelope spoke again and brought me back to reality. "If there is nothing further you wish to tell me, I wish to be left alone."

"And make it fast, little ducky thing, or I'll have to do something drastic," said Buford.

I sighed and went on my way, bowing my farewell. I decided to look out the window and I saw a royal procession going by. I ducked my head down and quickly slapped my tail on the floor twice. Heinz ducked down as well and crawled quickly to be at my side.

"The royals are passing by the window," I whispered.

Penelope rose from her seat and looked out at them. I grabbed her hand to pull her down, but she pulled away. Buford and Baljeet decided to duck down, but something kept Penelope looking on. I took the chance to stand and look as well.

Outside, Prince Phineas and Prince Ferb were on horseback, riding through the city. There were posters being put up of the five of us and I feared a search. Instead, the princes stopped and got off of their horses. Prince Phineas snapped his fingers and Prince Ferb untied something from one of the horses: a sack. The sack was opened and dumped. A raccoon lay there in fear.

"What are they doing?" asked Penelope.

"We know you are here, Penelope. You are here somewhere and unless you want to watch this animal get skinned, you'll come out and cooperate," called out Prince Phineas.

"They wouldn't," said Penelope.

"Oh, but they would. I have seen it done time and again before… and some of those skinned were not even animals," I said. Penelope covered her mouth to cover a shriek. It turned into a shuddering gasp and her eyes became very teary when she looked onto the streets again.

"You have helped the criminals to escape, Penelope, and you must pay for this," said Prince Phineas. Prince Ferb put a knife close to the animal's throat. "Last chance, Penelope, come out!" He waited a moment before turning to Prince Ferb and nodding.

Just as the knife began cutting, I held a hand over Penelope's mouth to keep her from screaming, but something strange happened. I saw blood drawn, but the movements were stopped. I saw Penelope's hand extended to the window toward them. The knife turned in Prince Ferb's hand and his hand shook, as if there was no control in his actions. The knife was released from his grip and it cut the bonds around the animal. The raccoon scurried away and Penelope fell back into my arms. I eased her to the floor before quickly looking back outside, still not believing what I had seen.

Prince Phineas and Prince Ferb exchanged a glance and Prince Phineas smiled. "Well, it is certain she is near now, but if she is so unwilling to show herself, we shall wait. We have, after all, made her come out of hiding before," said Prince Phineas. He and Prince Ferb boarded their horses again and they rode away.

I turned back to Penelope and saw blood coming from her nostrils. It looked like it had stopped bleeding, but the blood was still there. Penelope sat up and looked at me with fear in her eyes.

"Can you explain what happened?" I asked.

"I have nothing to say to you," said Penelope. Her voice was quiet as if she had been through turmoil that weakened her. We stared at each other for a few moments, unsure of what to say.

"Well, come along then. Let's get you some rest," said my former governess. Buford picked up Penelope, cradling her like a small child. He followed the rest of the girls out of the room. Baljeet, meanwhile, stayed behind.

"You know something, is that not so?" I asked the young man.

"I have known Penelope for a long time, as has Buford. We know what happened in her past. I would be a fool to let anyone but she tell it to someone she could not trust," said Baljeet. With that, the boy followed after the rest of the group.

Heinz looked down at me and knelt down to my level. He got close and spoke low to me, "There is more that happened here today than what is being said."

"I agree," I said.

"There is a strange power, like magic. If your plans involve her, I would be careful. I do not think that it would end well."

"Heinz, you worry too much. I am not so soon going to give up my plans because of this circumstance." Heinz looked unsure, so I said, "Trust me, Heinz. Have I ever led you down a path when there was not some profit in its end? This shall be no different. Trust me, before summer ends, we shall be out of the country in a nice, quiet place where no one will know us. In that place, we shall live out the rest of our days knowing that everything we strove for in life has been completed."

"It was never my desire to go against the crown. It has been _your _vendetta, _your _revenge."

"Need I remind you whose kingdom almost had you killed?"

"This again?" Heinz sighed. "Perry, why do you _really _want this to happen?"

I was silent a moment before giving my answer. I was about to tell Heinz something I had never told another living soul. "I have seen them use violence on others, terrible violence. One day, I had my eyes opened to the side that was receiving the violence. I knew then that what I had been doing, who I had been supporting, was wrong. I saw their maltreatment extend not just to foreigners, but to their own people.

"I made a plan to steal the jewels from them because they always spoke about those gems as having great power. They were planning on using them on more people. However, by the time I heard them speaking of these plans, the jewels were still merely a blueprint. They required a great magic to make them a reality. Needless to say, I did not stay to watch them build such weapons. I ran to America, not just because I feared their wrath, but because I feared the punishment they would invent for me.

"While in America, I discovered people in plights much like I had seen for those under the princes' hands. It was there that my journey began to help people. However, that is only a small reason for my thievery over the years. Not long before I wanted to leave, I heard word that the princes were seeking a rare jewel. Its original name is in another language and the nearest translation is Bloodlust. The princes were seeking the stone for its legendary dark powers. I began stealing stones that resembled the jewel. Our mining expedition was a site for the rumored stone."

"All I saw in that cave were diamonds."

"Well, our trip was certainly not going to be completely in vain. I scoured many countries with you in the hopes of finding any of those stones and putting them in places where the princes would never find them. We returned to England because I caught word that the jewels were completed. It was fortunate too, because now I think we have sufficiently scared them from unleashing them on the public for a while longer."

"What of this mysterious source that showed you all this?"

"I lost contact with them. I know not whether they are dead or alive, but I can say that the display we saw just recently is not my first exposure to such magic. Therefore, it is important that I get as close to Penelope as possible so that I may learn a way to stop all of this from happening."

"You don't want to _use_ the stones at all. You want to destroy them."

"Is there a problem?"

"No. For once, Perry, I am in complete agreement with you. Those stones need to be hidden away forever or destroyed, at any cost." I smiled and we shook hands. I was glad that I now had someone who I could completely confide in. Now, Heinz and I were in full partnership. Soon, the dead would be avenged and the stones would be put far out of the reach of the princes.

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**So, now you see why Heinz was saying in the first chapter it was "murder" to steal the jewels from the princes. I shall reveal a little more as time goes on, but I think this is a good place to stop for now. Please keep reading and reviewing, thanks :)**


	9. Chapter 9: Vulnerable

Chapter 9: Vulnerable

Penelope

I lay in bed, but despite my exhaustion from my recent exercise of energy, I could not find sleep. It was not preferable. I had hoped never to use my magic again, especially after what had happened the last time…

_The princes were making the jewels of power. They were made from a precious stone, whose name I cannot repeat. They were not capable of magic. I was. It was not very long after Perry had been cast out. Rumor had it, he intended to flee the country. It was a time when I still trusted the princes and their motives. This was a time where I was needed._

_"Lady Penelope, we hear you are well adept at the dark arts," said Prince Phineas._

_"I have learned some magic, yes, but I never use it for evil. I try to use it to help people," I said. For, I knew, that if I used my magic against people, evil would overtake me and consume me. It had happened only two times prior to this event… and neither time had ended well._

_"Well, if you fill these jewels with your magic, we shall have our final ingredient and we can help our people be protected against those who would harm us."_

_"You are… creating a weapon, my lord?"_

_"It shall only be used as a last resort, I assure you, m'lady. Now, do we have a deal?" He extended his hand to me, an offering of agreement, acceptance. I took his hand, shook it, and agreed._

Not a day goes by that I don't regret it now. I felt the evil surging through me. I knew what they truly intended of the stones. _If only they hadn't gone to South America, then their minds would not be lost to us…_

I was roused from my thoughts by a knock on the door. I rolled out of bed, but underestimated how far the edge was from me. I fell onto the floor. I squealed as I fell, but my fall was broken by some of the sheets. I tried to twist out of it, but I was stopped in my progress upon seeing Perry at the door. The door was partially open and he had a hand over his eyes. He was standing, halfway in and halfway out. "Forgive me, Princess, but are you decent?" he asked.

I got untangled, straightened myself, and said, "Yes," as I stood up. He turned to me with a (sheepish?) expression on his face. "Are you well, Perry?"

"I'm all right," he replied. He stood awkwardly, the thumb of his left hand tracing circles in his right palm. I approached him and grabbed his right hand. I traced the curves of his hand, strong and worn from a life on the run. "I was just wondering… would you care to take a stroll with me?"

I looked up and met his eyes. They were mesmerizing and filled with something I had never seen in him before. "I would be delighted," I replied. He gave a small smile and offered me his arm. I took it and we left the house. He brought his hat down and brought his coat collar up. I brought my hat down as well.

We finally came to a stop in a small clearing in a park. It was a beautiful spot, one that I hadn't known existed before. A small willow tree was growing and red flowers bordered the shrub wall around us. "My, my," I said. "Is this where you take all of your women?" I asked teasingly.

"This is where I went, when I was back in the court, to think. Up until now, I have never brought anyone else to this circle," he replied. "I do remember you, Lady Penelope. You were always there, but I, in my ignorance, shied away from any people who were not in my own circle."

"I understand. You know, Perry, it is not the princes' fault that they behave as savagely as they do… but there is no known recovery for them."

"Recovery?" He paused and I looked at him. His expression looked sad. "I know they are ill, but I had no knowledge of them being ill in mind."

"It is a spell, actually."

"And how do you know this?"

"The queen told me." He did not respond to this.

"So, they remain as they are? Forever?"

"I believe there is a way, if we use the stones on them, there may be a cure yet."

"I thought the stones were evil."

"It depends upon the intentions of the holder." He turned around and I could no longer see his face. "Perry, tell me that your heart is not too far gone that you do not wish to save them, even now."

"It is difficult, Penelope, even with this knowledge, to find it in my heart to forgive them. If what you say is true, if we can save their minds, then perhaps there may yet be a place in my heart for forgiveness." I grabbed his hand and I felt him start. I went to pull away, but he grabbed my hand in his. He turned to face me.

His eyes met mine and I felt my face heat up. I knew, without looking, that my eyes had changed color. "Perry, please, we need to fix this. Enough running. Please," I said.

He sighed and gave me a tender smile. I had never seen such a warm, welcoming expression on his face. It was almost as if I were looking into the Perry I had known, a man with love in his heart. His other hand touched my cheek and he said, "All right, m'lady. Just tell me what I have to do."

I yanked him to the ground just in time to avoid a net that had been tossed at us. "Run!" I said.

"No!" he said. "No more running. I will do what I must to keep you safe."

"Why?"

"I- I do not understand these feelings yet." There were two attackers. He quickly brought them to the ground, but they were getting back up and there were more coming.

"Well, don't elaborate now. We need to warn the others. They might be in a worse situation than we."

"Right…" he kept attacking and I went to his side. "I don't want you here."

"Really? Mere moments ago, it seemed quite the opposite."

He took a moment to answer and it appeared a blush had overtaken his face, if but briefly. "Just go, I can handle this." In as many seconds, he was overtaken and I barely escaped. I could run or…

"Release him!"

"Pardon us, madam, but this is no concern of yours. The bounty on his head is greater than the one on yours, so bugger off," said one of the men.

"I will not 'bugger off.' I intend to show you the error of your ways. Yes, he is a thief and a scoundrel and a traitor, but he's _mine,_" I said. I felt magic surging through me. My emotions were getting out of hand. "I will turn him in and everything shall be restored to me."

"Princess, what are you-" Perry was cut off by being knocked out. He was still in their grasp and now… they had gone too far. The energy surged through me and everything afterward was a blur.

* * *

**Please keep reading and reviewing, thanks :)**


	10. Chapter 10: Do You Believe in Magic?

Chapter 10: Do You Believe in Magic?

Perry

I awoke in a bed. Someone was dabbing my head with a wet cloth. She was humming… and had the most beautiful turquoise fur… I jerked awake. "Penelope!" I immediately regretted moving so quickly.

"Easy, Mr. King. You took quite a bump to the head," she replied.

"What happened?"

She hesitated and stopped moving for a moment. Then, she got the rag wet again and rung out the water. She dabbed my head and laid it on my forehead. I held it there with one hand and slowly opened my eyes. I smiled at the sight: she was currently trying, in vain, to remove the fur from in front of her eyes.

"What are you looking at, Mr. King?" she asked, adding some contempt to my name.

"Pardon me, _Miss Australis, _but have I offended you in some way?" I asked. When she did not answer, I sat up and grabbed her hand. "Penelope?" She looked at me with sadness in her eyes.

"I wish it were easier."

"What do you mean?"

"I wish it were simply that one side is clearly right and one side is clearly wrong. If I am to go up against the princes with this, they will have me publicly executed."

I knew this to be true. Even if we took this matter to the queen, she would not believe us. We had to take a chance, a chance to risk it all for everyone to be safe. I was going to say something, but Penelope's men came in before I had a chance.

"Ah, the little monotreme is awake. Now, perhaps we may be rid of him," said Baljeet.

"Yeah, that little guy has been more trouble than he's been worth. Penelope, we have to turn him in," said Buford.

"Pardon me, gentlemen, but I am right here, you realize?" I asked.

Penelope looked at me a moment before turning her attention to her men again. "I know what we must do. Buford, Baljeet, I want you two to flee to America, on separate boats. I will not have you paying for my mistakes," she said.

"Penelope, with your magic, they will call you a witch and have you hanged or burned-" said Baljeet.

Penelope interrupted with: "I will be hung." She said it with such… finality. She said it as if she knew that it was true and she was… all right with it.

"I will not let that happen," I said, grabbing her hand. "No matter what anyone says, know that I will be by your side."

She pulled away. "I cannot let you do that. I shall be putting you, Heinz, and these two on ships out of the country. Perhaps we shall see each other again in another life," she said, smiling wistfully at this.

"Please, do not do this," I said.

"What are you going to do about it, Mr. King?" A challenge.

"You were right before. I have been running for too long. It is time I face what I have been avoiding for so long." I paused. "I will not have you die for my mistakes."

"And I shall not let _you _die senselessly. You did nothing wrong, ultimately."

"I have stolen and lied and cheated, Penelope. I deserve my fate. You, who have done nothing, do not deserve yours."

"You did not see what I did to those men. You did not see what I have done when my emotions have clouded my judgement. My magic is unpredictable and, when I am imbalanced, I cannot control it. I- I nearly killed those men and for what? A primal need to protect something that is not even mine? Please, Perry, just leave." She fell to the floor, feet-first, and turned her back to me. I also noticed she turned her back to the doorway. She had her back to everyone and… in that moment, it felt like one of my greatest sorrows.

I got up from the bed and moved to the door. I looked back, for a moment, but she did not look back at me. She had her arms crossed. Her decision was made. I moved past her men and into the hall where I saw Heinz leaning against the wall. He indicated to me to follow him and we went into the study. We were alone.

"Well, that could have gone better," he said.

"I agree," I replied. I felt sorrow stinging my eyes and I could not understand why… well, I understood, but I did not want to believe it to be true. It felt like… it felt too natural to feel this way, in this moment. "Heinz, I cannot do this anymore. I cannot keep endangering them. They are innocent. _I _am the one that should be facing this."

"Well, you certainly aren't going to do it without me, partner." He smiled. "After all, you're the reason I have all those wanted posters in the first place."

I wanted to smile, but it was secondary to my desire to cry. I cleared my throat and said, "Heinz, this is something I need to do alone. I need to face the princes and take care of this threat the way I should have from the beginning. I only pray I am not too late."

"Perry, you can't-"

"I _will _do this alone, Heinz, because I need you to take Penelope and her men to America. None of you are wanted there. You shall be safe."

"_You_ won't be." I gave a regretful smile. Heinz gasped. "You're- you're not coming."

"If I live through my plan, I die. If I fail at my plan, I die. Just promise me, old friend, promise me that Penelope shall be safe so that I may do this peacefully."

"I refuse to stand by and let you do this."

I sighed and ran a hand across my features. My emotions were not staying in check very well. Any more sentiment and I would _definitely _cry. "Just please make sure Miss Australis is safe."

"You- you _love _her."

"I-" I could not finish my thought, for suddenly men in uniform ran into the room and, despite Heinz and I putting our best into it, I was caught. The men were soon taking me outside, but, before they could put me in their carriage, I was taken by other men… or animals, I should say. I was carried off and I realized who they were. These animals were part of the U.W.C.A. Underground Without a Cool Acronym. They were dangerous… and they would take me far from where I needed to be. Before I could fight back, they put a cloth before my nostrils and I was knocked out.

* * *

**Well, this is a different turn in the road. Let's see where this takes us. Please keep reading and reviewing, thanks :) **


	11. Chapter 11: Going After Him

Chapter 11: Going After Him

Penelope

Before we could really react, the Hearthside Girls and Perry's old governess shoved Heinz, Baljeet, Buford, and I into a secret room. It was small and cramped, but there was a small sliver of light through which I could still see into the room. Soldiers had come into the house… and they were looking for us.

They left after a little while and we were let out. I shoved ahead of the others and asked, "Where's Perry?"

"He wasn't captured by the soldiers, if that's what you're worried about," replied Perry's old governess.

"Then, where is he?"

She was quiet about this. When I did not get an answer from her, one of the Hearthside girls replied, "U.W.C.A. captured him."

"The Underground Without a Cool Acronym? What do they want with Perry?" I asked.

"It is likely that his debt to them has finally caught up with him," replied the governess.

"What debt? What will they do to him?" I asked. Silence.

"Miss Australis, it might be best if we get going while we still can. Perry can take care of himself," said Heinz.

"They're going to kill him, aren't they?" I asked.

He hung his head and said, "They might not, but if they don't, they have something much worse in mind."

"They know what he is afraid of and those people always use others' fears against them," replied the governess.

"Then, we have to go after him," I said.

Heinz grabbed my shoulder and said, "We can't. It's not safe. They outnumber us."

"Why are you so insistent on keeping me from helping? I am fully capable," I said.

"Perry asked me to get you to safety."

"Wh- why would he ask that?" I paused. "Never mind. I don't want the answer." I turned away, my eyes welling up with tears. I felt like a mess. I quickly recovered and turned back to Heinz. "I am going after him and you can't stop me."

Heinz then grabbed me, hoisted me into the air, and got me into a chokehold position. I had both of my hands on his arm, trying to free myself, but he also had a knife to my head. It might have been a meager weapon for killing humans, but it was certainly an ideal one for killing a small animal like me. My eyes widened in fear and Buford and Baljeet pulled out their weapons. They were ready to attack, if needs be. I put my hand out, gesturing them to stay back.

"Listen, you. You need to stay away," said Heinz.

I punched the man in the jaw and he let me go. He claimed to have bit his tongue when I punched him, but I could not bring myself to really sympathize with him at that moment. I did not stay long enough for him to catch me again. I went straight out the door and started running down the street.

"Hey! Stop!" called Heinz behind me. He was running towards me, but Buford and Baljeet were also there. They ran ahead of him.

"U.W.C.A. is not safe, Penelope! Please, come back!" called Baljeet.

"No!" I called back. I darted down an alley and made my way through the small passageways. I came out into another street and found a sewer cover. I knew I could not lift it by myself, but I also knew that the U.W.C.A. would be down there in the filth. Thankfully, there was an open grate nearby. A man was cleaning there. I hurried past him and slid down into the muck below.

I was scarcely in the water for a few seconds before I flailed out and onto the walkway. I bent over and felt my body heave, as if to throw up. _Now is not the time, _I thought. I took a few deep breaths and, upon hearing the boys still behind me, I started running once more.

The only bad part in this whole plan of mine is that I had no idea where I was going. I knew, generally, where they would be, but I did not know anything for certain. I had only heard about U.W.C.A. through rumors in the papers. I scarcely thought them to be real and I certainly never had the opportunity to interact with them.

I was alerted to where they were by the sounds of shouts. Noises of victory rang across the walls and another kind of call chilled me to the bone: a cry of terror. I never heard Perry scream before now, but I was certain it was him. I felt faint, both from the smell and from the idea that he was in danger. I felt my magic run through my blood and I felt a little stronger… and a little angrier. I gritted my teeth and ran until I met the group of underground men… or animals, rather. They were all around me and glared at me. I was afraid… but Perry's screams were getting more desperate. So, I did what I had to do.

* * *

Perry

When I awoke from the drug-induced stupor, I was chained inside a coffin. It was my size, I realized, and I tried to shake out of the chains. I knew what they meant to do to me… and I was not looking forward to it.

"Thought you could pull a fast one on us, eh? Mr. _King_?" It was Laban, the albino lizard. He was one of the leaders of U.W.C.A., especially since he had been taken from his home as a young kid. He and I were never on the best of terms when I was doing a _good _job, let alone now when I had been avoiding any more encounters with them. I had forgotten the consequences of that until they showed up.

"Laban. It is good to see you again, my friend," I replied.

He laughed. "_Friend?!_ I am no friend to a _LIAR!_" he screamed.

"Yes, I lied to you. Where were we going with this?" I asked.

"You have been shirking your duties to us. You have been avoiding us. You have been playing on both sides of the fence, but no more!" I felt the coffin jerk downwards. I looked and realized the coffin was attached to chains. Laban pushed the coffin back with his foot and I yelped involuntarily when I realized I was over a hole.

I tried to put on a neutral face or even a façade of bravery, but I still had a quiver in my voice when I asked, "What do you intend to do to me?"

"Simple. We intend to _bury you alive!_" he and the others were laughing and calling out in cries of victory. I felt my heart trying to beat out of my chest and I struggled harder against the chains. It was no use. They were too strong.

The chains holding the coffin up let go and I was dropped into the hole. It was only a few feet deep, but it was certainly too deep for me to jump out of if I were free. My breathing picked up as my fear started to take over me.

I remembered the cave-in with Heinz. I remembered how helpless I was, how slow death had been coming to me. I must be fated for a slow death. I saw creatures above me shoveling dirt into the hole. I started thrashing and screaming as loud as I could. I did not care how cowardly I seemed, because, when it came to this… I could not be anything else.

The dirt was coming in fast. My fear made the hole seem deeper, the walls were closing in, and the chains keeping me down felt heavier. I noticed tears coming down my cheeks as I continued to thrash helplessly against the chains. It was no use. All I could do was keep my head up for as long as I could until… they stopped.

I looked up and saw them putting something heavy over the hole. "No! Please!" I cried. I was sealed in. My breaths were coming shorter. I would die here, wouldn't I? I would suffocate or hyperventilate, whichever came first.

This was it, wasn't it? I looked up and all around in the darkness. I heard them above, vaguely. I felt my tears coming stronger now. "_I'm sorry. I am so sorry,_" I sobbed. Perhaps I should have focused more on escaping or on my anger or fear. Instead, my thoughts went to my regrets. "I am sorry I have been so blind. I am sorry I ignored people for so long. I am sorry that this is the road I felt I needed to take." I laughed bitterly. "Yes, stopping evil with more evil… well, it sounded like a good plan at the time." More tears rolled down my cheeks. "I am especially sorry that I am going to die without ever telling Penelope the truth." I sniffed. I felt weak from my struggles. I noticed it was quiet above me. "Yes, go on! Leave me to die," I muttered quietly. I let my body slouch into the soil. It slowly came around me to consume me. Then, something happened…

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**Cliffhanger! I'll try to get the next chapter done as soon as I can, but keep in mind that I will also be posting for my other stories as well. I don't want to post for one story and neglect the others. They all deserve a chance. So, please keep reading and reviewing, thanks :)**


	12. Chapter 12: More Importantly

Chapter 12: More Importantly…

Perry

There I was, sinking to my death. The space felt smaller than it probably was. Then, something happened. I heard sounds coming from above and I feared the worst. However, the rock moved. The sounds were clearer now. I heard Heinz and Penelope's friends, Buford and Baljeet. Someone came into the hole and started clearing the dirt off of me. When it was clear of my face, I was looking at Penelope.

"It's all right. You're safe now," she said. She unlocked the chains keeping me in the casket and she helped pull me out of the remaining soil. I was shaking from the experience. "Will you be all right to run?" Her face held concern and I was almost too speechless for a reply.

"I shall be all right. I'll be right behind you," I replied. She smiled gingerly and climbed a rope that led out of the hole. I followed after her as well as I could.

When we emerged from the hole, however, I got shot in the same place where I had been grazed a few weeks' prior. I let out an exclamation of surprise and pain and I grabbed my arm fiercely. Penelope, Heinz, and Baljeet shot back at the U.W.C.A. while Buford thrust at them with his blade. We ran out in the hopes that we could make it back to my former governess's house.

Unfortunately, there were guards posted around the house. It was likely the princes remembered her from the days when she raised me. "We can't go back that way," said Penelope.

"Well, now what?" asked Heinz.

Penelope ripped off the right sleeve from her dress and began tying my arm. "It is lucky that bullets only graze you, Mr. King," she said. "This should stop the bleeding for now." She smiled lightly.

"We need to leave the country, get somewhere safe," said Baljeet.

"No, I am not abandoning my country. It would be foolish to leave before finishing my mission," I said.

"You shouldn't go after them alone," said Penelope.

"I am already a traitor to my country. You and your men still have your chances. I need to make things right," I said.

"I _won't, _Perry. I _won't _let you do this without me. We got into this mess together and we're getting out of it together," said Penelope, grabbing my hand.

"Why?"

"Because I love you."

I was speechless for a moment. My thoughts raced between action and inaction. Finally, action won out. With my left hand at the back of her head and my right on the small of her back, I kissed her lips. There was a slight shock before she returned it. Her arms went around my neck and I felt at peace.

I had been raised in the court among the princes, our current queen, and the former king and queen. I had spent most of my adult life on the run from the law while performing thefts and causing chaos. My name had been on the lips of many people both with a sense of fear and a sense of respect. During none of these periods had I ever felt this strong a connection, this strong a yearning, nor this strong a sense of belonging. I was not really me until this moment, I felt.

We could not have been in that lover's embrace for long, but we were both breathless upon parting. I gazed upon her with a love that I had never felt before and she gazed upon me dreamily, her eyes violet and shining. I brought my right hand to her face. "Never have I seen your eyes shine so brightly," I said.

"I haven't had a reason to be this happy," she replied. She smiled widely and I returned it.

"My only regret is that I was not the one to tell you first." She laughed and I laughed with her. We embraced and I twirled her around. We were happy.

We stopped spinning and we looked at each other, having eyes for no one and nothing else. We nuzzled each other's beaks lovingly and both of our smiles were wide and bright. I gave her another kiss, quicker, but just as sweet before I remembered there were others with us. We both broke out into blushes upon seeing the expressions of the others.

"It certainly took you long enough," said Heinz.

"Penelope! I never knew you liked him!" said Baljeet.

"Am I the only one wondering how they were able to kiss without any lips?" asked Buford. We all shared a small laugh at that. This was the moment that we had been waiting for. This was the moment I knew that, come what may, Penelope wouldn't leave my side now if she wanted to.

"Well, here we are, Perry. What comes next?" she asked.

I smiled and blushed. I rubbed the back of my head with my left hand. "I am not quite sure, actually. I got rather lost in the moment," I replied.

Penelope smiled. "Well, whatever the plan is, we shall do it together. All of us," she said. She put out her hand and I laid it on top of hers in support.

Heinz came over and put his hand on top of ours. "I already expressed my commitment to Perry when he saved me. It is not about a debt anymore, it is about a friendship," he said.

"We are in this together," said Baljeet, laying his hand on top of the pile.

"To the end," said Buford, putting his hand on top.

"Well, come along then. We have a country to save," I said. We continued making our way through the sewers until we came out near the palace. We stopped in an alley to go over the plan.

Penelope and I knew of some secret tunnels into the palace. Buford and Baljeet would knock out any patrolling guards while we made our way to the room of treasures, where the jewels were most likely being kept. Once in the room, we would pocket the jewels and find the princes. Penelope would use her knowledge of magic to filter the evil thoughts and intents from the princes. She would then destroy the gems forever. If all went well, I would have a family again. If all went wrong, we would all be killed. Despite the risks, I knew I had to take the chance. I had loved the boys once, now I had to prove to them that I still did.

The plan was going smoothly. Heinz, Buford, and Baljeet were providing ample distraction for Penelope and I to take the jewels. No one had raised any alarms. We were getting close to victory. Then, everything went wrong.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Perry, our old friend?" came the voice of Prince Phineas. We were in one of the halls when they came up behind us. Both of the princes stood there, evil in their eyes.

Guards blocked our escape from both directions. We were trapped. "This ends now," said Penelope sternly. She struck the stones together and I faintly saw a light emit from her hands. Her magic would power the stones, take the princes' evil away, and make everything all right again. However, something did not go right.

"Penelope?" I questioned.

"I- I don't understand. That should have worked, but these… these are not the real stones," she said, realization taking her breath away.

"Looking for these?" asked Prince Phineas, pulling out the real stones from a pouch. They glowed a reddish violet in the light. "Too bad. So sad." He pocketed them once more and, while his attention was turned, Penelope rushed at him and knocked him to his back. She took the pouch and went to strike them together when Ferb's hands grasped her wrists, halting her. Her hands shook with the effort to bring the stones together, so I decided to intervene.

I rushed forward and punched Ferb's calf, sending him to the floor. Penelope was momentarily free before Phineas got up once more. I grabbed his wrists and brought them around to his back before pinning him to the floor, face-first. "Guards! Seize them!" called out Phineas.

Penelope struck the stones together, emitting sparks from them. A gas seemed to flow out of them before entering her. I gasped in shock. She was knocked off her feet and when I next saw her eyes, they glowed the same color as the stones. The more I looked, however, the more it seemed like it was a fog in her eyes. Her real eyes were still underneath as she seemed to be having an internal struggle.

"She's possessed!" said one of the guards.

"A demon!" said another. The guards were too afraid to intervene.

"It's too much," said Penelope with a struggle. She grasped her head in her hands. With a great effort, she looked to me and said, "Get out of the way!" I moved off of Phineas and she grabbed his wrist. She then grabbed Ferb's wrist. The fog reappeared around her and lightning bolts could be seen as well. Wind blew around them from an unknown source. I backed away further to stand in front of Heinz and the others. "This ends now," I heard Penelope say. The storm grew to a crescendo. I couldn't see them anymore. Then, with one final flash of light, everything froze. The fog swirled and went downward. Upon reaching them, a shockwave swept us off our feet.

When it was clear once more, I rushed to Penelope's side. "Penelope!" I cried. I picked up her head. She was unconscious. I brought her closer to me, hugging her to me. "Please, please be all right." Her eyes opened and they were the same color as the stones once more. She got up, without a word, and moved to one of the windows. "Penelope?" She didn't answer. She merely gazed at the window.

She brought her right hand to the window in a fist. She turned it palm facing downward. Then, her hand opened and a burst of energy came from it, shattering the window. We all ducked down.

I noticed Phineas and Ferb were awake. They seemed different now. "You're back to normal!" I cried. I embraced them.

"Perry!" said Phineas. "It's so good to see you!" He and Ferb embraced me like brothers and it felt like the good days were here once again.

I looked back to the now-broken window. Penelope still gazed out. Then, she climbed onto the sill and looked down. The wind blew strongly through her fur and clothes.

I broke the hug with the boys. "Penelope?" I asked. "What are you doing?" She didn't answer. "You're frightening me, Penelope. Please, come down." She gazed at me, eyes unseeing. She looked back out the window and jumped.

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**I suppose this would be a cliff-faller ;) Ha. Don't worry. All shall be resolved soon. Please keep reading and reviewing, thanks :)**


	13. Chapter 13: Witch

Chapter 13: Witch

Penelope

I awoke on a cart carrying straw. I jolted upright and noticed we were heading further from the city. The buildings were becoming more and more distant. I had succeeded in freeing the boys, but it was at a terrible cost. I could never go back. I bundled myself up and retreated further into the straw pile. There was no doubt in my mind that if I was brought back to the city, I would be executed.

I was distracted from my thoughts by a heat in my hands. There was a power flowing through me. I could see the red violet aura around my hands. I tried to calm it, but it only sent it to my veins, which made it more obvious and painful. It was only partially hidden by my aura. I had never felt this strong before. This was a magic unlike any I had ever known or experienced.

_I have to get rid of this before something bad happens, _I thought. It was easier said than done. Luckily, I knew exactly what I needed to do and where I needed to go. Unfortunately, I couldn't rely on the cart driver getting me there. So, I had to take it from him.

I hopped to the front and said, "Pardon me, sir, but might I borrow this cart from you?"

The man jumped at noticing he had an unexpected passenger. "I suppose you're going to leave it in a place where I can find it?" It was more of a request than a question.

"It shall be returned to you. All you need do is wait by that tree." I pointed to the side of the road where a tall oak stood.

"Very well then." He grabbed his bag of supplies, stopped the cart, and hopped off. "Good luck to you then."

"Thank you, sir!" I waved him farewell and got the mule heading the cart to go again.

I was heading to the house of my magic teacher. A long time ago, I needed help controlling the magic I had before this. Now that I had much more than I wanted, I was sure he could take it back from me. It only briefly occurred to me that I should have brought the stones with me so that the magic would have a vessel to be contained in. _I am sure he'll have something, _I thought with a shrug.

It was only a few hour's ride to get to his small hut in the woods, but he was nowhere to be found and the smoke that usually burned out of his chimney was not there. _That's strange. He never leaves home._ I turned to the mule and said, "Go back to your master. I'll be all right here." The mule nodded and trotted off.

With that matter taken care of, I went inside the house. I was greeted with a grim sight. The walls were covered in blood, everything was smashed, and my magic teacher lay on the floor, dead. I took a deep breath. _No need to panic. If I can find his book, I can do this without him._ The only problem was that I couldn't remember where he usually hid it. I began a careful search across the floorboards, rafters, walls, and any part of the furniture that was left. _If I can't find it… I don't know what I'll do._

* * *

Perry

I had wiped my brow in relief when I noticed Penelope had landed safely in a cart filled with straw. She looked like she was okay. I turned back to the boys and eyed the stones.

"We need to get the magic back in the stones. Otherwise, we may all be in danger," said Phineas.

"Penelope can already wield magic. What would the power from the stones do to her?" I asked.

"She may succumb to their darkness. If she does, she may pose a worse threat than we did," said Phineas. Ferb nodded.

"What can we do?" I asked.

"The magic is best kept contained. We need to find her and find a way to put the magic back into the stones. After that, we shall hide them away where no one will find them ever again."

"Why can't we simply destroy it?"

"Magic can neither be created nor destroyed. Any part of the magic could survive and be let loose if we tried to destroy it. Trust me, Perry, it is best kept contained."

"Here's what I don't understand: how did you two wind up so corrupted by them in the first place if the magic was still inside of the stones?" asked Heinz.

"Perhaps our mere exposure to that power rubbed off on us in such a way that we could not help but be influenced by it," noted Ferb.

"When we first discovered the power and contained it all those years ago, we were determined to keep it out of the wrong hands. Unfortunately, it turned out that _any_ hands were the wrong hands with this power. That is why it is so important that we find Penelope and contain it once again," said Phineas.

"Where will we hide it after it has been contained?" asked Baljeet.

"Bottom of the ocean sounds like a good place as any to put something that dangerous," said Buford.

"It sounds as good an idea as any. At least in a place like that, it would be safe from contact with any life intelligent enough to use their power," said Phineas.

"You're forgetting the armory. Remember?" I asked.

"That's right! Some years ago, when Perry was still with us, we had built a place to keep treasures we had acquired from our journeys. It is a place rarely visited and fiercely protected. No one would be in danger of them there. Good idea, Perry," said Phineas.

"Thank you, my prince," I replied with a bow. "Now that we have a plan in mind, let's go find Penelope. I worry about what might happen if we do not find her in time."

"Good point. We'll take one of the royal carriages. Our horses are among the fastest in this part of the country," said Phineas.

"Capital idea," I said. I picked up the stones and put them in the pouch they had been kept in. I pulled the strings on it to close it and placed it in my coin purse. "All right. Let's be on our way."

Everyone nodded in agreement and we ran off to the stables. We quickly got horses ready at a carriage and we all rode off. The only problem we had was that we hadn't the slightest idea of where to find Penelope.

Phineas looked at me and said, "Ferb and I have been exposed to its magic long enough, we might be able to track it that way."

"That would be brilliant, if at all possible," I said.

Ferb had a hand out the window, seeming to feel for some invisible force. Phineas directed the carriage down many roads until we reached a forest. After a while, we reached a point where our four-horse carriage could go no further. We disembarked from the carriage and headed forward on foot.

After a short time of walking, we came across a small cottage. Penelope stood before a pot on a fire. It was a much larger pot than her and was blacker than the night. She seemed to be stirring something inside of it. We came closer and she looked up at us. When she saw me, she smiled and ran to me.

"Perry! I knew you'd find me!" she said as she embraced me.

"Of course. I could not let you simply run away so soon after we declared our love for one another," I said. To that, she blushed.

"Come, we need to get this going while we still can."

"What danger are we in?"

"As little control as I had over the magic I had before, this one is worse. I fear if we do not find a solution soon, I may not be myself anymore."

"Well, worry not, m'lady. We have the stones here, ready to hold the magic once again." I showed her the little pouch where the stones were being kept.

"Excellent! I thought you'd bring them," she said with a smile. She took them from me and, with a pair of tongs, grabbed them one by one and lowered them into the vat of strange liquid. After a few minutes, she took the stones out and held one stone in each hand and sat down, eyes closed.

The same cloud appeared and surrounded her. The red-violet color grew to a crescendo before descending downward, through her arms, and back into the stones. It was not long after this that the stones were aglow once more and Penelope's eyes were back to normal, fully. She placed the stones back in the pouch and gave them back to me.

"I trust you have a proper place to put these?" she asked.

"We do. We should make our way there as soon as possible," I replied. It was not until sometime later that I realized the danger in bringing those with us who did not understand magic. A few guards had come to make sure the princes were safe. One of them had quietly slipped away and was making his way to the city. He, no doubt, was the one that would tell the queen what had happened… and it was not a great picture that was going to be painted.

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**A few more chapters to go, I think, but we are nearing the end! Please keep reading and reviewing, thanks :)**


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